Discount Camping Equipment Can Still Be Great Quality
The problem with the word discount is that some people equate it to cheaper or substandard quality when that is not necessarily the case. When you are searching for larger ticket items for an activity such as camping, being able to purchase discount camping equipment can free up your budget for certain other expenses such as a state or national park pass so that you can go camping whenever and wherever you want.
Defining the Discount
It is important to remember that discount camping equipment does not mean off-brand gear or items made with sub-par materials. The word discount can mean many things but no where does it say you have to sacrifice quality to get a cheaper price. Discount means getting something for less than the asking price and this could happen in a variety of ways.
Discount camping equipment can be obtained in a close-out sale, meaning either the company is going out of business or it is phasing out one type of model to make way for a new type. These are always great ways to obtain a cheaper price because the quality of the product is still good but maybe the color or style is not the hottest "in" thing. If looks don't matter, then you can pick up discount camping equipment for a reasonable price, even if the tent is purple or your sleeping bag is puce.
Buying in bulk or up to a certain price limit also opens up possibilities when it comes to getting camping gear for less than full price. Some stores will give discounts for spending a pre-set amount of money there or even add extras that complement your purchase. In addition, sometimes a manufacturer makes too much product and therefore must pass along the excess to factory outlets or discount merchandisers to get rid of the excess.
Inspect the Goods
When you purchase discount camping equipment, it should come with the same warranties as with full price products. In fact, often times the manufacturer has no idea what you paid for your gear so if the warranty is for full product placement, you may end up with something better. Of course, it always pays to inspect the goods before you purchase because some stores like to bandy about the word discount when the quality of the product is poor.
Your best options for obtaining discount camping equipment is from your favorite sporting good store which may be having an end of season sale or reducing prices to make way for the new models. Watch for the sales, usually at the end of a season, so for camping, you may find the discount camping equipment during the middle of winter when camping is not prime time. And of course, discount is in the eye of the beholder … what may be cheaper for one person may be regular price for another.
